Page:Hong Kong Reunification Ordinance.pdf/10

HONG KONG REUNIFICATION '''11. Saving of judgments, etc.'''

All acts done by a court, magistrate, statutory tribunal or statutory board before 1 July 1997 shall (subject to any applicable time limits) on and after that date, continue to have effect and, as the case may require, be regarded as acts done by the corresponding court, magistrate, tribunal or board of the HKSAR.

12. Rights of audience

Every person who immediately before 1 July 1997 enjoyed a right of audience before any court, magistrate, statutory tribunal or statutory board shall on and after that date continue to enjoy such right before the corresponding court, magistrate, tribunal or board of the HKSAR.

13. Barristers and solicitors

Every person admitted as a barrister or solicitor of the Supreme Court shall on and after 1 July 1997 be deemed to have been admitted as a barrister or solicitor, as the case may be, of the High Court of the HKSAR.

14. Notaries public

(1) Every notary public who immediately before 1 July 1997 was registered on the register of notaries public kept by the Registrar of the High Court under section 41 of the Legal Practitioners Ordinance (Cap. 159) shall on and after that date continue to be a notary public with all the powers which immediately before that date were exercisable by a notary public under the law of Hong Kong.

(2) Without affecting the generality of subsection (1), the reference to powers therein includes a reference to—
 * (a) the power to attest, authenticate or certify the due execution of documents;
 * (b) the power to note or protest bills of exchange and to attest, by an act of honour, payment thereof for honour supra protest;
 * (c) the power to administer oaths, affirmations or declarations.

(3) Subsection (1) shall not be construed as affecting—
 * (a) any power which is for the time being conferred (either exclusively or inter alia) by or under the law of a country or territory outside Hong Kong on notaries outside the jurisdiction of that country or territory;